Revisiting: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Poster Description: Steve (Chris Evans) stands on the side, holding a round shield that is red, white, and blue with a white star in the centre. He has it up to his chest, making it easier to read the film’s title. His face is at a side profile, perpendicular with a rippling American flag, lit by a ray of sunlight through clouds.

Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated by the Second World War. I admire the sense of fierce optimism, the mantras of “making do,” and “keeping calm and carrying on.”

Also, while he wasn’t necessarily a fan of music, my granddad’s favourite song was Glen Miller’s “In the Mood.”

It might have been because I was leaving Sixth Form, and my heart just wasn’t in it at the time, but I didn’t have a lot to say about Captain America in 2011. I saw it at the cinema with no idea of what to expect. The fact that Chris Evans was playing someone other than the Human Torch made me incredibly sceptical, not because I liked Fantastic Four, but it was odd. Nevertheless, I’d already enjoyed the new world Thor explored a few months before, so I tried to keep an open mind.

As with most of my revisits, my thoughts from 2011 will be highlighted in blue. So, after almost a decade and a whole plethora of Marvel films later, how does Captain America fare?

The Director: Joe Johnston

The Cast:

Chris Evans – Steve Rogers/Captain America

Stanley Tucci – Doctor Erskine

Sebastian Stan – Bucky Barnes

Hayley Atwell – Peggy Carter

Dominic Cooper – Howard Stark

Tommy Lee Jones – Colonel Chester Phillips

Hugo Weaving – Johan Schmidt/Red Skull

Toby Jones – Doctor Zola

Samuel L. Jackson – Nick Fury

Certificate: 12A

Released in UK cinemas: 29th July 2011

The Plot:

The year is 1942, and the men of America are off fighting the Germans. Sickly, skinny kid Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, The Losers) has tried multiple times to enlist with no success. However, his determination and compassion make up for his lack of muscle, which draws the attention of Doctor Erskine (Tucci, The Hunger Games). He is working on a “super-soldier serum” that could revolutionise the war, and Steve may be the right person for it.

The Review:

WARNING: spoilers (also for The Winter Soldier)

As “cold openers” go, Captain America’s is incredibly literal, with the excavation of an old crash site in the Arctic. It is somewhat bizarre that this is the second time we see Cap’s shield, though it was merely a cheeky Easter egg in Iron Man 2 and treated with about as much respect from Tony Stark (RIP) as you would expect. Given that Captain America came out just months after Thor, the references to Odin’s treasure trove and Yggdrasil were very gratifying.

The stakes are raised straight away as we go back in time to 1942 and meet the main antagonist before its protagonist. Hitler’s right-hand man, Johan Schmidt (Weaving, The Matrix), enters, shiny boots first, to steal an ominous blue cube of sheer energy. Like Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schmidt’s character arc explores the Nazis’ obsession with mythology and the occult and how wrong this can go. Unlike Raiders, he lives to tell his tale, but not without a few, er, changes.

2011: Hugo Weaving relishes in his role.

Weaving is suitably cold, even delightfully vile, making Schmidt the great poster boy for HYDRA. As the story is based around such an iconic period, this Nazi…band? Subgroup? helps to keep it science-fictional, flame-throwers, goofy salute, and all. It is true that Hitler was fascinated with mythology, though.

Schmitt is the other side of this coin (let’s say a more extreme version of Walker from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier without the more irrational hatred for a fictional character). I love the steady reveal of Red Skull, the fear on the artist’s face as they paint him without his disguise, although the end result looks a bit ridiculous now.

Image Description: Johann Schmitt (Hugo Weaving) wears a black leather tunic with gloves and a silver belt buckle. HYDRA’s sigil adorns it, a skull with tentacles like an octopus. Schmitt has removed his mask, revealing his bright red head. He still has eyes, and he is still able to scowl. It is as unsettling as it sounds!

Next to Schmitt, Doctor Zola (played by Toby Jones, ever the squirrely sidekick) is entirely forgettable. At the time of the first viewing, it was easy to wonder what the point of him was, making (one of) The Winter Soldier’s twists so shocking!

When we meet pre-serum Steve, he fails yet another medical exam to enlist in the US Army. He later gets beaten up in an alley for standing up to a guy who scorns the war effort. In addition, the scene establishes Steve’s relationship with his pal, Bucky (Stan, I, Tonya), who has successfully signed up. Their banter-filled chemistry, and their reversal of roles after Steve’s transformation, make Bucky’s fate that much more surprising, though a means to an end. Nevertheless, if I’d known what would be coming for them both in later films, I probably would have paid more attention.

Evans’s performance is incredible, balancing the humble with the sass, as his character bends the rules for the right reasons. It reminded me of why Marvel films appealed to me; the “little guy” with good intentions gets handed the ability to make a difference without being corrupted by it. In many ways, Captain America is similar to Spiderman; Doctor Erskine is the “Uncle Ben figure” offering Steve the advice and the motivation he needs to stay on the right path.

The sepia lighting is particularly strident; it matches the period, particularly in the underground war-bunkers where SHIELD began. The transition from this to brighter colours made me nostalgic for The Wizard of Oz. For my research for this review, I found that Stan Lee was a playwright for training material during the war, which makes the propaganda features that Steve appears in more realistic. So, naturally, Lee has a cameo as a veteran in the film.

I happen to have a soft spot for the 1930/40s aesthetic, which costume designer Anna B. Shepherd understands all-too-well (her past work includes Schindler’s List and Inglorious Basterds). Peggy’s red dress and iconic lipstick are a nod to how women legitimately dressed to express their strength and femininity in the war. So, I was pleased that Atwell’s name is feature alongside a poster of ‘Rosie the Riveter’ in the credits.

Now, THAT’s an entrance!

Image Description: Peggy (Hayley Atwell) stands in the doorway of a dimly lit pub. The air is hazy with smoke, but Steve and Bucky stare at her. Peggy wears a vibrant red dress and matching high heels. Her dark hair is set in loose finger waves around her shoulders, and she casually looks back at the men as if to say, “Yup. Here I am.”

Also, secret agents in pinstripes suits and trilby hats; As a British woman, I adore that a code about the weather accesses SHIELD’s bunker – that, and the elderly gatekeeper carries a f***ing machine gun.

2011: Oh, and the effect that shrank Evans down to size before his’ transformation’ makes him look like a baby tomato on a fork, which was a bit disconcerting. Ah, well, you can’t have everything.

They superimposed Evans’ head onto a skinny man’s body, and it doesn’t always fit, but it’s not that bad, really.

Image Description: (Left) A skinny actor (Leander Denny) has spots all over his face, ready to edit Chris Evans’ face over the top. (Right) The finished result makes Chris Evans look tiny.

2011: I must say Dominic Cooper’s American accent is rather hit-and-miss.

I stand by this. Nevertheless, Cooper has the right amount of charisma to carry it off as Howard Stark. It is immediately apparent that he is Tony Stark’s dad, which is excellent, and he makes Steve look further out of his depth when talking to women.

Tommy Lee Jones is suitably growly and grizzled as Colonel Phillips. In contrast, Peggy Carter is introduced in the finest example of “show, don’t tell.” While she is ultimately Steve’s love interest, Hayley Atwell offers far more to her character than that. It could have been simple (read: lazy) enough for another character to openly call Peggy insubordinate, by why do that when Peggy could punch a soldier in the face for being a sexist moron? In addition, whether it’s Steve’s lack of experience talking to the opposite sex, his decision to lower the flagpole, rather than attempting to climb it in a training exercise, or throwing himself onto a (dummy) grenade, it’s fun, even relatable, watching Peggy’s reactions to him.

It should be noted when Peggy touches his bare chest, it was a spur-of-the-moment reaction from Atwell. It also solidified her as my favourite character in the film.

Boop!

GIF Description: Men are crowded around scientific instruments, congratulating each other. Steve has come out of the other side of the serum experiment. He is bare-chested, revealing his new muscles, breathing heavily. Peggy stands in front of him and touches one of his pecs with her fingertips. A blonde nurse watches on with a slight smile. Is it of disproval or approval? We may never know…

So, will there ever be a chance that Agent Carter could return with a new series? Please?

2011: This is as action-packed as any Marvel film I have ever seen, and I was very impressed by it.

But why eighteen-year-old me? As aforementioned, Steve has little time to adjust to his new body in an excellent car chase. Meanwhile, he runs barefoot through the streets, apologising all the while as he knocks over everything in his path in pursuit of a HYDRA agent.

The film’s score is dominated by triumphant horns, which is suitable for the time. A lot of Steve’s military training is covered through montage. However, it’s particularly effective for demonstrating the repetitive nature of the shows Steve is forced to do as a propaganda mascot. He raises community spirits by stage-punching an actor playing Hitler in the face, which seems lame in contrast to visiting soldiers, who would rather see the dancing girls than Steve talking about “making a difference.”

One particular annoyance I had was the rushed introduction of Steve’s comrades, so-called the Howling Commandos. They aren’t treated like they are of any significance, so I don’t remember their names. Interestingly, Kenneth Choi would return to the MCU as Peter Parker’s headmaster in Spiderman: Homecoming. Was it intentional or not?

Image Description: This looks like a propaganda poster. The US flag is the backdrop to Captain America and the Howling Commandos fanning out on both sides. Bucky smoulders on Steve’s right side.

Another gripe I have is when Schmitt reveals his plan for the world: bombs with the names of each country painted on them. Unfortunately, they are written in English rather than German. Of course, this was for the benefit of the English-speaking audience, but it takes one out of the tense atmosphere.

To make up for this, the film ends on a heart-wrenching cliff-hanger. I was surprised by how easily it transitions into a trailer for Avengers Assemble – proof of just how confident Marvel was about its success!

My first review left a lot to be desired, so I enjoyed revisiting the film with a clearer mindset. Despite playing the Human Torch in Fantastic Four, Chris Evans is entirely believable as Steve Rogers and an easy hero to root for. His chemistry with Atwell and Stan carries over multiple films, and Weaving makes Red Skull engrossing and fun to watch without feeling like a run-of-the-mill villain. Although the film relies on the audience’s knowledge of previous MCU films, Captain America: The First Avenger is an excellent place to start watching them. It is one of those rare, fun films that is ultimately overshadowed by its superior sequel…but that’s for another revisit.

The Verdict:

2011: 4 STARS OUT OF 5

2021: 3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

My Sources:

Film poster - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458339/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_35

What is a cold opener? - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_open#Film

Nazis and the occult - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occultism_in_Nazism#Nazi_mysticism,_occultism,_and_science_fiction

Image - https://marvel-movies.fandom.com/wiki/Johann_Schmidt

Who was the costume designer of Captain America? - https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/captain-america-first-avenger-costume-designer-spider-man-sequel-/

The significance of red lipstick - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/766104586614910938/

Image - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/140807925826982311/

Image - https://www.quora.com/What-kind-of-special-effect-did-they-use-to-make-Chris-Evans-look-so-skinny-in-Captain-America-The-First-Avenger